


Sensory overload

by syusuke



Category: Captain America (Comics), Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types, Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Childhood Memories, Cryofreeze (Marvel), Gen, Implied/Referenced Brainwashing, M/M, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Wakanda
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-21
Updated: 2017-01-21
Packaged: 2018-09-19 01:57:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,241
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9412712
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/syusuke/pseuds/syusuke
Summary: When they wake Bucky from the cryo the first thing he notices is warmth. He even feels safe, a feeling he had almost forgotten.You may read this as friendship or relationship, it's up to you really.





	

Something changed. Bucky’s dreams finally moved on from his time as the asset and now they were occupied by happier memories. He was dreaming of cold winter nights in Brooklyn and sharing a bed with Steve for warmth. In his mind he saw Steve snuggling closer and burying his small frame in Bucky’s arms. His dream self smiled fondly and hugged his friend closer. He remembered the smell of the ointment he used to rub on Stevie’s back. It had an intense minty smell with just a hint of alcohol. He had almost liked the smell, if only it hadn’t meant that his friend was ill again. At least smelling it also meant that Stevie was with him and they were both safe. It was nice. He hadn’t felt safe in a long time.

“What’s that smell?”, Clint sniffed noticeably. Steve abruptly stood up. He hadn’t noticed Clints approach. He nodded at him and bend to pick up his sketch. It was a new one of Bucky, the way he was lying in this bed now. He had looked roughed up and tired, when they put him under. Even when they first got him out of cryo he looked half-dead. Steve had begged everyone to give him some time alone with his friend. He had then proceeded to quickly washing away the sweat and grime from the last three years. He’d been careful to always keep him warm, only using warm water and immediately covering him in fluffy blankets. All clean and under the blankets he looked almost peaceful. There had been the occasional twitch and sometimes he mumbled, but Steve hadn’t been able to understand anything. It had taken him a whole day to get up the courage to shave him. The scientists had warned him that it would take Bucky roughly a week to completely wake up, since they weren’t using electro shocks or any of the other harsher and therefore quicker methods that Hydra used. Now Bucky slept rather peacefully, the hard lines that used to dominate his features, had vanished and left the image of a handsome young man with long hair that framed his face softly. Steve couldn’t stop thinking, that he looked innocent.

Clint cleared his throat, still waiting for an answer. It startled Steve out of his reverie.

“Uhm, it’s a creme that I used before the war. I hope it helps him remember? Look, I didn’t know what else I could do. Smells were really the first thing I remembered after they fished me out of the arctic. It couldn’t hurt?”

“Good idea. He looks better than yesterday, don’t you think? T’Challa wants you to know that Bruce is dropping by tomorrow. He wants to run some tests on your buddy, preferably when he’s awake. But as far as I know he’s in no hurry. Probably still trying to keep under the radar. And I’ll repeat yesterday’s offer. If you want a break and get some sleep, I’ll watch over him for you and call if anything changes.”

“Thanks Clint, maybe tomorrow? I think I want to stay.”

The archer grinned at him and waved goodbye. He was almost at the door, when he turned around: “You know, I hope his new arm is ready soon. Would be a pain in the ass to help him with every little thing.”

Steve couldn’t help it. He laughed out loud. Oh god! That thought alone! Bucky had always been so stubborn about accepting help. He just saw his best friends face, practically shouting misery at him as he had to sit still and let Steve tie his hair back. The imagined pout made him laugh even harder.

 

Bucky stirred slightly. Dream Steve was laughing at one of his better jokes and he playfully slapped his arm. It was rare for them to enjoy an evening this much. But at least they had each other and they had had a good meal today and it was still warm enough for a stroll. Stevie hadn’t taken any medicine in a while and Bucky had saved up some money if anything would come up.

 

Steve had spent the rest of the evening watching over his friend and working on his sketch. He noticed that Bucky had moved a lot more than the last four days. Maybe he was finally waking up? But he shouldn’t get his hopes up too much. Bucky was already doing so well. His vitals were back to normal and there was no brain damage or any complications because of the cryo.

The next morning Steve woke up with his head on his arms, resting them on Bucky’s bed with the other half of his body uncomfortably stuck in the chair. Pain radiated from his spine where it was twisted in an almost impossible angle, he sighed deeply. Only a few more moments, he tried to move his head a little to the left. Then he noticed it. A warm small weight on his head. He stopped his movement, opening his eyes instead. In front of his eyes were two fingertips, one with a familiar small scar. He proceeded to carefully sit upright, catching the hand before it could slip off and coddling it in his own. Tears were stinging in his eyes, a voluntary touch, even if it might have been on instinct.

“.sssStevie? It feels funny.”

“Buck? You feel okay? We got you out of cryo for good. Your body needs time.”

“Mmm.. fine.”

Steve kept stroking the captured hand. But it wasn’t enough. He moved closer to Bucky, awkwardly half hugging him and half lying on top of him. Bucky only smiled at him weakly, leaning into the touch.

“Is this okay? Can I..?”

“Golden. Stevie, is this real?”

Steve only now realized that Bucky’s eyes were still closed. He eventually let go of the hand, to carefully touch the injured shoulder, the stump. Bucky started shaking violently as he noticed the touch. He cried silently, welcoming every touch of Steve, leaning into it whenever he could.

“Bucky, it’s real. Everything’s real. We’re in Wakanda. We found you in Bucharest, we fought against Zemo and then we brought you to Wakanda, where T’Challa offered his help. You’ve been in Cryo for three years and now we woke you up. We know how to help you, we can fix it. Wanda found a way! Isn’t that great?”

“Awesome, pal.”

Steve laughed nervously. Bucky had stopped crying and he was hardly shaking anymore. His remaining hand had found it’s way onto Steve’s cheek. But his eyes were still closed.

“Please look at me, Buck. Let me see those steel-blue eyes. I need to get the color right in my next sketch.”

Steve tried to joke, but it really frightened him that Bucky refused to open his eyes. So he picked him up in a bridal hold and the hand fell from his cheek finding and holding his jacket. Maybe he could convince Bucky with the sunrise?

“If this is a dream, I don’t want to wake up. I want to hold onto this a little longer.”

 

 

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All of this was inspired by this fanart on tumblr:

It's from ATTIC LIGHTS http://amanoeriya.tumblr.com/image/154322663757

If you're interested in reading some little bits and pieces about my writing processes or my character studies, feel free to visit my writing blog: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/syusukewrites

And as always comments are most welcome!

**Author's Note:**

> All of this was inspired by this


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